7 Must-Have Gadgets I Use to Make Work Easier
I was recently interviewed by a national magazine and the reporter asked me about some of the must-have equipment I use to run my solo enterprise. Here is what I listed.
Feature-rich telephone. You might think that finding the perfect desk phone is easy, but it wasn’t for me. I finally found everything I needed in one unit that was also priced right. My AT&T 993 phone is a corded, 2-line phone. In addition to the standard features that come with most phones such as speed dial, mute, auto redial, etc., I also wanted the following:
- Speakerphone to use when I’m on hold.
- Headset connection for hands-free operation.
- Volume control to use for callers who talk too loudly or too softly.
- Voicemail indicator to remind me of messages waiting.
- Call waiting/Caller ID so I can see who’s calling when I’m on the phone.
Note: I just purchased the Magic Jack and will report on it soon.
Dymo LabelWriter. I can print my own stamps in any denomination, and also use my LabelWriter Duo to print shipping labels. It’s much simpler for me to do this than to go to the USPS Web site, complete all the information, pay for the postage, print the label, then affix. Every time I use the LabelWriter, I feel so cool, empowered, efficient, a woman about town.
Business card scanner. I can’t remember what I did back in the old days with a collection of business cards I wanted to add to my database. My CardScan is at my fingertips. I’ll slide a card in and it starts automatically. With one click, I can transfer the data to Outlook.
Dual monitor setup. In a previous post, I talked about how I love using a second monitor. It’s easy to set up and you’ll increase your productivity by expanding your desktop. Visit the link for more details.
All-in-One Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier. It amazes people when I tell them that I ran my business for a year without a printer. It was easy because I rarely print anything. I got a free printer when I bought a new computer, and I hardly use it. But it’s nice to know it’s here when I need it. So far, I’ve only printed boarding passes and CD labels. Click here to see the printer I’m currently “using.”
BlackBerry. I travel a lot and I always have my laptop and BlackBerry with me. Here is a post I wrote, Changes I Made to My BlackBerry to Make it Easier to Use. I make a point of learning tips and tricks in software I use and gadgets and gizmos that I buy.
Mini USB Hub. Although I have three USB ports on my laptop and two more on my second monitor, I still needed more. A mini USB hub with four additional ports is my solution in my office and on the road.
What about your must-haves? Let me know what and why.
Filed under: General Technology, Personal Productivity
